Team USA women’s hockey roster for 2026 Olympics: Snubs, surprises and expectations
As the No. 1 team in the IIHF rankings, Team USA is the favorite to win its first Olympic gold medal since 2018.
USA Hockey’s women’s Olympic roster will look a lot like its championship-winning team from women’s worlds in Czechia — and the group that swept Canada at 2025 Rivalry Series — naming 21 returning players to the 23-player roster on Friday morning.
That includes six defenders who represented the national team last April, including Laila Edwards, who made the switch from forward to defense and will become the first Black woman to represent the U.S. women’s hockey team at an Olympic tournament. Caroline Harvey, who was 19 at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, will play in her second tournament, this time as one of the very best defenders in the game. Her 41 points in 20 games lead all skaters in college hockey.
Among the 12 returning forwards are three of the PWHL’s top scorers — Britta Curl-Salemme, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Kelly Pannek — plus three of the top scoring forwards in the NCAA — Abbey Murphy, Kirsten Simms and Joy Dunne.
Tessa Janecke, the Penn State senior who scored the overtime-clinching goal at worlds, will make her Olympic debut. So will Minnesota Frost star Taylor Heise, who assisted Janecke’s game-winner.
Introducing the 23 players named to the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team 🇺🇸 #MilanoCortina2026
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Rosters: https://t.co/hUC1A7aZ7R pic.twitter.com/i0sPQ6xkzW
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) January 2, 2026
No. 1 goalie Aerin Frankel — who has an outstanding 0.99 goals against average in the PWHL this season — will return to the U.S. crease along with back-up Gwyneth Philips and University of Wisconsin starter Ava McNaughton filling out the depth chart.
Captain Hilary Knight will be chasing a second Olympic gold medal in her fifth and final tournament, after announcing in May that Milan will be her final appearance at the Games. Knight currently has four Olympic medals, which is tied for the most by an American woman. Should the U.S. win a medal in Milan, Knight will become the most decorated American women’s hockey player and the only five-time Olympian in U.S. women’s hockey history.
The U.S. women’s team, along with the men’s and sled hockey teams, was unveiled on NBC’s “Today” show with Edwards, Jack Hughes and Declan Farmer in attendance.
The women’s tournament begins in Milan on Feb. 5. Team USA’s preliminary round begins with an opening day game against Czechia and ends with a rivalry match against Canada on Feb. 10. The gold medal game is slated for Feb. 19.
Full roster
Snubs
Jesse Compher, Lacey Eden, Savannah Harmon and Anna Wilgren were all left off the Olympic roster after winning gold at world championships.